Help! Naso Tang!

[ccbobafett]

Could be a issue with swim bladder? You said he has no bouncy right? Does sound like a swim bladder issue to me if no other disease or other issues noticed. I would look into swim bladder and read on that some to make sure symptoms match. Hope he gets better and good luck.

 

[cmcoker]

I'm wondering if he is having a problem with tolerating the copper vs suffering from a disease/illness

Unfortunately I do not keep tangs, maybe 4Fordfamily will chime in on using cupramine with a naso.

Had you noticed anything that made you start copper or was it just part of prophylactic treatment?

This chart indicates Naso tangs do better with chelated copper than ionic copper..
https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/283450/

If it was my fish, and I had seen no disease indicators, I would be tempted to drop the copper level with a big water change and see if he improves. If so, I would get the cupramine out and let the fish recover and start eating and then take 5 days to raise to therapeutic level with a chelated copper.

 

[MSB123]

Probably a good idea- I will get mixing the water now.

 

[MSB123]

I'll do a 50% change- im just a bit worried b/c i'm going out of town on Monday and Tuesday

 

[MSB123]

did the change, he is looking better, moving around !!! What kind of copper do you suggest? I will wait a few days until I dose again

 

[cmcoker]

did the change, he is looking better, moving around !!! What kind of copper do you suggest? I will wait a few days until I dose again

Yay! Glad he is looking better.

Coppersafe is what I use, you will also need the API copper test to go with it (chemetrics, iirc, is another kit that would work but is way More expensive). I would make sure he is eating well before trying again and take it slow ramping up, over like 5 days. The theraputic range for Coppersafe is 1.5 to 2.0 ppm.

I would do another water change to remove more of the cupramine before starting the different copper.

Of course if any symptoms of disease pop up, you may need to go a little faster getting to therapeutic level but hopefully that won't be an issue.

 

[MSB123]

hs is in a 40 gallon long, I replaced 20 gallons today and will do about 10 gallons tomorrow of the next day.

 

[cmcoker]

Was just thinking, if he is eating I would probably do your second dose of prazipro when it's due. Then 24 hours or more later do a water change, then start copper. That way you don't double up on the meds and don't have to start the prazipro over.

Unless @Humblefish has a different suggestion..

 

[MSB123]

Yeah, my prazi is due next Thursday

 

[Humblefish]

Was just thinking, if he is eating I would probably do your second dose of prazipro when it's due. Then 24 hours or more later do a water change, then start copper. That way you don't double up on the meds and don't have to start the prazipro over.

Unless @Humblefish has a different suggestion..

Agree!

 

[CanadianReefer]

I had an issue with my naso when he was in QT. Though the water parameters tested fine and I had no meds in it at the time, he was gasping for air. I noticed a green tinge to the water. I did a 50% water change and he was perfectly fine again. After that, I had to do a 50 % change every other day despite the size of my QT tank. My QT was cycled and had a large copepod population to boot.

Since you can' really test for ammonia when using copper, and those seachem patches are only so good, I'd simply continue with significant water changes to air on the side of caution.

Naso tangs are known to be picky eaters as well. Prazipro can suppress the appetite even further.

If hazard a guess that your water had somehow become polluted or may be the copper/prazipro combo was a little too much for his system all at once. For my tank, i believe it was free floating algae that was sucking up the oxygen (green tint to the water) causing him to have issues breathing.

Who knows in the end...

Glad to hear he's looking better Though! They are a beautiful and gentle fish. I absolutely love mine - he's named Capt Kirk lol